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French culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand is increasing pressure on his European Union (EU) counterparts to adopt a common stance over library book digitisation by Google or other private sector companies.
The French government has inaugurated a commission to draw up proposals on digitising books and other library works following the outcry in France over the possibility that the French National Library would allow Google to digitise its archives. The commission will submit its main findings on 24th November in time for presentation at a meeting of European culture ministers due to take place on 27th November. A final report will be published on 15th December.
The timetable is tight because "the situation is urgent," Mitterrand said. Digitisation "is like a tsunami breaking over Europe". The players involved are rushing about "like ants in an anthill", he told The Bookseller. "I am struck by the diversity of opinion among the people I have consulted," he added.
Mitterrand has asked the commission to take account of the strengthening of Google’s dominant position, the conservation and ownership of digitised files and the fragility of certain heritage institutions.
Mitterrand has discussed the issue with his opposite numbers in a handful of EU countries. He said he had found that Germany was on the same wavelength as France, and felt he had helped Italy "increase (its) awareness" of the problem. He has also had talks with Hungary and Luxembourg, and is optimistic that the EU will be able to find a common position.
Last year’s agreement for Google to digitise 500,000 books from the Lyon Municipal Library remains under wraps on the search engine’s insistence, but Mitterrand aims to find out how the decision was taken, the guarantees obtained and the first results.
Last week, the European Union launched an immediate consultation with European publishers to tackle the "important cultural and legal challenges of mass-scale digitisation and dissemination of books". The results will fuel a major policy review in 2010.